Fabric and method of making the same



Aug. 6, 1935; l. w. GROTHEY '2 ,0l,0,I87

FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. 11, 1935 3- INVENTOR IVAN W. GROTHEY BY HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Ivan W. Grothey, Laconla, N. 11-, Scott a William, Incorporated,

asslgnor to New York,

N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 11, 1933, Serial No. 684,720

12 Claims. (01. 66-185) This invention relates to knitted fabrics and more particularly to knitted fabrics such as are formed by circular knitting machines and it is an object of this invention to provide a tubular knitted fabric having portions in'which courses knit of a single yarn alternate with courses having parts knit of each of a plurality of yarns.

It is also an object-of this invention to provide a stocking knit by, two-feed circular knitting having portions thereof, as the high splice and sole, which are knit and joined to the remainder of the stocking so as to give the efiect of split foot knitting.

In the drawing:-

Fig. l is a plan view of a stocking in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken as on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1 showing the relative positions of the floats left in the knitting of the instep and sole; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, drawn to a larger scale, showing the relations of the various yarns in the formation of the loops.

In the drawing in which a stocking S is shown as a convenient illustration of a fabric embodying this invention the rib top T is knit in the usual manner on the cylinder and dial needles of a circular knitting machine after which the leg portion L down to the high splice H is knit by twofeed circular knitting. Where a two-color efiect is desired, as a combination-of dark or colored yarn or yarns and light or white yarn or yarns, the dark yarn or yarns is fed from the usual main yarn feed at the throat plate while the white yarnor yarns is fed at the auxiliary yarn feed. When the high splice H is reached, where it is desired to make the high splice contrast with the remainder of the leg portion as by making the high splice of solid white color, a yarn change is made at the main yarn feed, a white yarn being fed to the needles and the colored yarn withdrawn during each course of the high splice, the white yarn being withdrawn and the colored yarn again fed to the needles after the completion of the high splice in each course. Both yarns are fed to a plurality of needles at each side of the high splice in order to interloop the yarns and form a proper connection therebetween. The white yarn or yarns fed at the auxiliary yarn feed is fed continuously throughout each course and so forms part of both the front of the leg of the stocking and of the high splice H.

Changing the yarns at the main yarn feed during each course in the knitting of the high splice will form floats unless the yarns are out each revolution, which extend across the stocking from,

constructed one edge to the other of the high splice. This will give a condition as shown in Fig. 2 in which the float ll of the colored yarn c and the float ll of the white yarn extend across the stocking, the ends of the floats being separated by the wales 5 knit by the needles which take both yarns. This changing of the yarn at the main yarn feed gives,

as shown in Fig. 3, a fabric in which alternate courses, as courses numbered 2, 4, 6, etc., are formed in part of the colored yarn c and in part 10 of the white yarn w, which yarns overlap for a plurality of needles at each yarn change in a manner similar to split foot knitting, while the remaining courses, as courses numbered I, 3, 5, etc., are formed of the continuous white yarn or 15 yarns w fed at the auxiliary yarn guide.

Upon completion of the high splice the heel is knit by reciprocating knitting in the usual manner, after which the knitting of the instep and sole proceeds by circular knitting as in the case 20 of the high splice, the instep being formed of alternate courses of the colored yarn c and the white yarn 10' with the colored yarn c bein changed at the sole to the white yarn w so the sole is formed of alternate courses of the white 25 yarns w and to. In knitting the sole, however, it may be desirable to insert a white yarn at the main yarn feed different from the white yarn inserted for the high splice as it may be desired to insert a yarn of a different nature or a different so weight.

After the knitting of the instep and sole the toe is knit by reciprocating knitting in the usual manner and the stocking pressed ofl.

Knitting a stocking in the manner described above permits of knitting the stocking at the greater speed of two-feed knitting and of knitting the instep and sole by circular knitting while obtaining the effect of split-foot knitting. It also permits of obtaining two-color effects in the leg and instep while knitting the high splice and sole of a solid color and it is particularly deslrable when making float or tuck patterns in the instep fabric in order to provide a sole of solid color.

What is claimed is:-

1. A stocking fabric portion comprising a plurality of courses, each having portions of diflerent yarns and corresponding portions of the same yarns, said courses alternating with courses of a so different continuous yarn.

2. A stocking fabric portion comprising courses consisting of a single continuous yarn alternating with courses having portions formed of other separate yarns, each of the separate yarns being 55 knit into the same wales in the diii'erent courses.

3. A stocking fabric portion comprising alternate yarns said courses alternating with courses comprising a plurality of other separate yarns knit individually, the changes of the separate yarns being in the same wales in the different courses.

4. The steps in the method of knitting a stockingi'abric portion comprising knitting a plurality of courses simultaneously by two-feed knitting and changing the yarn at one of the yarn feeds for a portion of each-course during a number oi' successive courses knit at said yarn feed.

5. Steps in the method of knitting a stocking fabric portion comprising knitting courses simultaneously by two-feed knitting and changing yarns at one of the 'yarn feeds for a portion of each course during a plurality of courses.

6. Steps in the method of hitting a stocking fabric portion comprising knitting .two'courses simultaneously by two-feed knitting, changing yarns for a portion of each course at one yarn feed during a number of courses and knitting the alternate courses of continuous yarn or yarns. Y

7. A stocking fabric portion comprising courses consisting of continuous yam or yarns alternating courses consisting of continuous yarn or with courses having portions formed of yarns of different colors.

8. A stocking fabric portion comprising courses consisting of continuous yarn oryarnsalternating with courses having portions formed of yarns of different weight.

. 9. A stocking fabric portion having alternate courses thereof consisting of the same continuous yarn or yarns and the remaining courses each comprising portions of separate yarns separate from the continuous yarn or yarns.

10. In a stocking fabric portion, a plurality of courses alternating regularly, one set of courses consisting of a continuous yarn andv the other set of courses consisting of'portions of courses of other separate yarns.

11. A stocking having the instep and sole consist of a plurality of difi'e'rent courses alternating regularly, a yarn change in alternate courses for the wales of the sole and the remaining courses comprising the same continuous yarn or yarns.

12. A stocking'having the'xleg and high splice consist of a plurality of courses of separate yarns alternating regularly and a yarnchange in alternate courses for the wales of the high splice, the remaining courses consisting of the same continuous yarn or yarns.

1 IVAN W. GRO'I'HEY. 

